'Chalk and cheese': Joe Morrell on why 'nasty' Spurs loanee has shone at Portsmouth - and why Arsenal starlet struggled

And how the striker has approached his Pompey loan compared to Arsenal’s Miguel Azeez is ‘chalk and cheese’.

Scarlett has swiftly made a favourable Fratton Park impact after Danny Cowley landed the England Under-19 Euro Championship winner on a season-long loan.

The early indications contrast considerably with fellow Premier League youngster Azeez, who endured a disappointing Blues spell last season.

Now on loan at La Liga 2 side UD Ibiza, the promising midfielder featured 10 times for Pompey before returning to the Gunners in January, half-way through his scheduled stay.

Morrell played alongside both highly-rated youngsters in the Blues’ first-team – and has been hugely impressed by Scarlett.

He told The News: ‘What impresses me about Dane is his personality and that bit of nastiness he’s got.

‘Burton last month was probably the first time I saw it. It probably wasn’t his best game, but big centre-halves were trying to kick him up in the air and he was giving a bit back.

‘I was injured for that game, but watching, and could see he has that side – and that made me more impressed than goals and running in behind.

‘If you were the manager, you would be thinking “I don’t mind that”. You need a bit of nastiness and a bit of grit, this club does pretty well normally and he has certainly fitted in with that.

‘He’s 18 and what he also does is puff his chest out and says “I want the ball”. He’s telling boys, telling me, to give me the ball. When you can back it up, that’s pretty powerful.

‘He and Miguel (Azeez) are chalk and cheese. Everything I’ve said about Dane, I probably wouldn’t say about Miguel.

‘Maybe he (Azeez) didn’t adapt to the professional environment that we had here. He probably didn’t handle the adversity of not playing as much as he would have liked.

‘It may be a little easier for Dane because he has come in and played, but I have every confidence in him that, should he be out of the team, he would still be the same.

‘He has that desire and hunger to get in the team and stay in the team, you can tell it means a lot to him to play for Pompey.

‘And maybe that hasn’t been the case in the past with others.’

Scarlett has netted four times for the Blues in all competitions, yet has now gone six matches without a goal.

Regardless, he made a powerful impression from the bench in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Forest Green Rovers, providing some much-needed attacking spark.

Morrell added: ‘Dane is a top player and has the recipe to be a special player in the future.

‘Hopefully he can have a good season for us and we might see him again next year, who knows, but he obviously has a future a long way above this level, that’s for sure.

‘He’s a little, horrible striker, which I think you need sometimes.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Whether you're gazing out over the Mediterranean or spending this summer at home, take advantage of our 50% discount on an annual sports or regular digital subscription, from just £25!

We will be on the ball with all the latest Pompey news, match coverage, off-the-pitch features, and analysis from Fratton Park all year round.

Purchase your annual digital package and use promo code SUMSP50 at checkout.